Friday, May 13, 2022

Dear Eriberto,

It was a pleasure to see so many constituents, elected officials, and County employees attend the ribbon cutting for the new community center in Lee District. Last Saturday was a significant milestone for our community and the future of our district. The community center will be a central location for family-friendly recreation and the Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (W.I.S.H.), an innovative workforce development program.

Thank you, Congressman Connolly, Chairman McKay, and all the other leaders who made this event possible. 

In case you missed it, below is a video recap of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Lee District Community Center:

Watch my full remarks here: https://youtu.be/_dy6g2DGCR8

Watch the entire ceremony here: https://youtu.be/6BX62l3wwLw

In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing with you the early success stories from the first round of W.I.S.H. participants and how you can get involved.

Please contact my office if we can assist you.

1. Supervisor Lusk in the News
2. Supervisor Lusk in the Community
3. Now Accepting Summer Internship Applications
4. Village Hardware Fundraiser in Support of the W.I.S.H.
5. Juneteenth Resiliency Award
6. New FCPS Superintendent Multilingual Virtual Town Hall
7. Fairfax County SSPA Retrospective
8. Wine, Whiskers, and Wags
9. New Parklet Coming to Shopping Center on Richmond Highway
10. I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study
11. Osher Lifelong Learning Institue at George Mason University
12. COVID-19 Resources

Supervisor Lusk in the News

Community Center Opens in the Buckman Road Area:

http://www.mountvernongazette.com/news/2022/may/12/community-center-opens-buckman-road-area/

By Mike Salmon, Mount Vernon Gazette

This was just part of the positive vibe that was in the air on Saturday, May 7 as local officials gathered with residents and others to cut the ribbon on a place where nearby residents can find opportunities and gather life skills. The building was originally the Mount Vernon Athletic Club and when it closed, Fairfax County purchased the facility in May 2020 with plans to establish a multi-service center in the Buckman Road area on the west side of Richmond Highway in Alexandria. The County made several improvements to the facility in the areas of basic accessibility, safety, and community use updates. In addition to providing recreation, the community center is also the site of the Workforce Innovation Skills Hub (W.I.S.H.), a workforce training and development center.

“Opening the door today is just the beginning,” said Supervisor Rodney Lusk (D-Lee) who was there with other officials such as Chairman Jeff McKay; U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11); David Levins, CEO at Good Shepherd Housing; Bryan Hill, Fairfax County Executive; Lloyd Tucker, Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services; and others. 

“The W.I.S.H. will provide residents with training and job placement in the building trades and in-demand tech jobs,” Lusk said. The center is the first step. 

Local realtors launch innovative community gardening program:

https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/people_and_places/people-and-places---week-of-may-13-2022/article_79853fac-d21d-11ec-bdf8-fb3bacba7c1a.html

By Fairfax County Times

To combat food insecurity and teach sustainable gardening skills to families in Southern Fairfax County, the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® (NVAR) has partnered with Fairfax County, Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District to launch a new sustainable gardening project.

Located on the west side of Richmond Highway in Alexandria, the goal of this innovative community project is to bring neighborhood gardening to those in the Buckman Road and Audubon Avenue area at the new Lee District Community Center. 

“Food insecurity is one of the most persistent problems in our community—a problem compounded by the fact that the food most readily available is rarely fresh or nutritious,” said Lusk. “This is why I have partnered with NVAR, Arcadia and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, to bring a community garden to the residents who live on the Richmond Highway Corridor.”

Realtors® joined Lusk, community members, and project partners to kick-off the project with initial construction and soil preparation. Features, such as additional raised beds, fencing and seating, will be added as planting continues throughout the spring and summer. 

Merrifield Health Center Renamed For Former Board Chair Sharon Bulova:

https://patch.com/virginia/fairfaxcity/merrifield-health-center-renamed-former-board-chair-sharon-bulova

By Michael O'Connell, Patch

FAIRFAX, VA — A group of local elected officials gathered in Merrifield Thursday afternoon for a ceremony to rename the facility there in honor of former Fairfax County Board Chairman Sharon Bulova.

The Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health, formerly the Merrifield Center, serves as the entry point for people seeking medical services from the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board.

Supervisor Lusk in the Community

I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the locally owned "Coffee In" on Saturday. Thank you, Leyla, your wonderful family and the staff for inviting me to be a part of your special day. Also, thank you to the Franconia District Station Police Officers for hosting "Coffee with a Cop" and joining us!

Now Accepting Summer Internship Applications

My office is seeking an undergraduate or graduate student to serve as an intern in our office at the Franconia Government Center. This is an in-person internship opportunity for highly motivated students who are interested in local government and would like to learn how a Fairfax County Supervisor’s office runs.

Interns will be responsible for assisting staff on a variety of tasks and projects which can be tailored to their interests. Examples may include:

• Constituent casework
• Land use projects
• Community outreach
• Social media management
• Event coordination
• Front office responsibilities
• Administrative tasks
• Other duties as assigned

We are looking for interns who can commit to working 10-20 hours per week in our office for a period of 8-12 weeks. This internship can be flexible based on the intern’s needs, interests, and availability. A stipend of up to $2,000 is available to an undergraduate or graduate student selected for this internship.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov by June 15.

Village Hardware Fundraiser in Support of the W.I.S.H.

Village Hardware customers can round up their purchases throughout May to support the new Workforce Innovation Skills Hub. All proceeds will go to Melwood, the operator of the W.I.S.H. and a 501 C3 nonprofit. Funds raised from the round-ups will go towards training and job placement programs. 

Thank you to Angie Heaad, Manager of Village Hardware, and your staff for supporting the W.I.S.H.!

Juneteenth Resiliency Award

Nominations are now open for the Juneteenth Resiliency Award!

Every day, young people face adversities and overcome them in amazing ways. In recognition of Juneteenth, this award celebrates Black resiliency in youth and young adults ages 13-21.

Nominate by May 19: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/juneteenth-resiliency-award

New FCPS Superintendent Multilingual Virtual Town Hall

On April 16, the Fairfax County School Board voted 9-3 to appoint Michelle Reid, Ed.D. as the next superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools. Read the complete announcement online. On Tuesday, May 17, Dr. Reid will join staff, families, and students for a multilingual virtual town hall, starting at 7 p.m. More details about this event, including how to register and submit questions, will be shared in the coming days. 

• Read more about Dr. Reid’s school and community visits.
• Watch this video to learn more about Incoming Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid

Fairfax County SSPA Retrospective

Recommended changes to the county’s process for submitting and reviewing proposed land use changes for individual sites will soon head to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for consideration and adoption. This process, known as the Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, currently operates on a four-year cycle. Using public feedback and staff analysis, the county is recommending a series of changes, which include creating a Countywide, two-year cycle, shortening the submission and screening period timelines, adapting community engagement to suit the needs of the study areas, and enhancing the criteria for submissions.

To learn more, watch the recording of a recent Open House, review a white paper containing the recommendations, or submit a comment, please visit the SSPA website: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-development/plan-amendments/sspa.

Wine, Whiskers, and Wags

After two long years, we are excited to announce that our annual Wine, Whiskers, and Wags (& Beer!) event is back! Join us on Sunday, May 15, from 1 PM to 5 PM for a day filled with good food, great drinks, games, an eclectic silent auction, and more.

More Information: https://ffcas.org/event/www2022/

New Parklet Coming to Shopping Center on Richmond Highway

On May 3rd, Federal Realty announced plans to create a 3,200 square foot parklet at Mount Vernon Plaza. The project entails converting the outdoor dining space adjacent to Moe’s Southwest Grill and Limon Pollo a la Brasa into a parklet.  The new gathering space will feature a trellis, green space, porch swing benches and soma stones along with new café seating, lighting and landscaping.  Construction will begin in May and will be completed later this summer.

The concept of a parklet at Mount Vernon derived from discussions between Federal and The Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation (SFDC), a non-profit whose mission is to develop, implement and support projects designed to stimulate economic growth in the Richmond Highway corridor by working closely with business owners, developers, and local residents.

Article: https://www.citybiz.co/article/256601/new-parklet-coming-to-shopping-center-on-richmond-highway/#:~:text=Federal%20Realty%20(NYSE%3A%20FRT),la%20Brasa%20into%20a%20parklet

I look forward to visiting the new parklet in Mount Vernon Plaza once it's complete!

Thank you, Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation and Federal Realty for getting this done.

I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study

VDOT is hosting public information meetings to provide information about the

I-495 Southside Express Lanes study, and to seek public input. The next local public in-person meeting is Monday, May 23, at John R. Lewis High School, 6540 Franconia Road, Springfield, VA 22150.

The in-person meeting will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (presentation at 7 p.m.)

More information: https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northern-virginia/495southsideexpresslanes.asp

VDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other federal, state and local agencies in Virginia and Maryland, is conducting an environmental study to potentially extend the express lanes system on the southern section of I-95/I-495 (Capital Beltway), by 11 miles from the Springfield interchange (I-95/I-395/I-495) in Fairfax County, Virginia, across the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, to the MD 210 interchange in Prince George’s County, Maryland. This location was identified in the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s adopted I-95 Corridor Improvement Plan as an area for additional study.

Schedule

Begin Study - January 2022

Begin Data Collection and Analysis and Initial Coordination with Partnering and Local Agencies - January 2022

Begin Public and Stakeholder Outreach - Spring 2022

Virtual Public Information Meeting - May 18, 2022

In-Person Public Information Meetings - May 19, 23 & 25, 2022

Virtual and In-Person Public Information Meetings Comment Deadline - June 6, 2022

Public Information Meeting - Fall 2022/Winter 2023

Public Hearing for Environmental Assessment - Spring/Summer 2023

Complete Environmental Assessment/Approvals Expected - Fall 2023/Winter 2024

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI Mason) offers a robust level of class offerings and recruits a talented set of teachers from all walks of life, including George Mason University, OLLI membership, and outside experts. Classes are offered in a variety of formats: in-person, virtual, and hybrid.

Currently, OLLI Mason membership is available to new members at an incredible value. We are offering a $300 special promotion rate for those who purchase an annual membership during our summer 2022 term, 6/21—7/29, so act now! Priority registration runs from 5/23—6/1. Curious about our class offerings or want more information about our organization? At no cost to you, please visit our OLLI George Mason University YouTube channel. You can view a sample of our recent, fantastic class offerings. You can find more information about OLLI Mason on our website or by emailing our administrator at olli@gmu.edu.